Inquiry 'needs to include prisoners'

Date: November 26 2012

Judith Ireland

VICTIMS support group Broken Rites will be calling on the federal government to directly contact the prison population and people on government benefits, to make sure they are included in the royal commission on child abuse.

Broken Rites spokesman Wayne Chamley said both groups were likely to have experienced high rates of child abuse but may not be inclined to take part in the royal commission, because of issues with literacy or low levels of trust in authority figures.

''They run the risk of being the forgotten ones,'' he said, suggesting that a letter could be sent to individuals. Dr Chamley said that about 40 per cent of people in the prison population had a background of child abuse. Last year, a Department of Juvenile Justice report found that 60 per cent of those in the New South Wakes juvenile justice system had a history of child abuse or trauma.

Dr Chamley said he would be raising the issue with federal government officials during a meeting on Wednesday, as Broken Rites submitted its feedback on the royal commission's terms of reference.

Submissions from individuals and organisations on the arrangements for the royal commission are due by close of business on Monday as the government hurries to get the commission up and running by early next year.

Broken Rites is also calling for about three royal commissioners, with one appointed as a ''truth commissioner,'' who could travel ''to listen to the truth of victims' experiences''.

''They can move around and meet people in their own communities,'' Dr Chamley said, adding that some would feel threatened by a royal commissioner simply out of ignorance.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, which has welcomed the royal commission, said there could be concurrent hearings and interim reporting to ''facilitate timely action on issues''. But president, Archbishop Denis Hart, cautioned that when the commission looked at current laws on mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse and legal privileges afforded to the priesthood, it should conduct further specific consultations.

''We respectfully suggest that the commission adopt the approach used in previous royal commissions of publishing … further consultation and discussion papers,'' Archbishop Hart said in a three-page submission.

The Australian Lawyers Alliance said the royal commission would need between six and 10 commissioners, including one commissioner to co-ordinate.

Alliance spokesman Andrew Morrison, SC, said victims would need good access to the commission. ''A great deal of the healing process will take place just though a sense of finally being listened to,'' he said.

Dr Morrison also backed a system of interim reporting and said it was important that states were asked to refer powers to the commission, so it could access relevant records and state institutions.

The federal government released a consultation paper on the term of reference just a week ago, after Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the royal commission on institutional responses to child abuse on November 12.

It has said that late responses may be accepted.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon told parliament on Monday that the Commission had so far received more than 300 contributions on the terms of reference, including 33 formal submissions.

Other feedback has been provided through emails and stakeholder meetings.

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